Vending machine having tiltable bottle cradle for moving bottles to vending position



Dec. 1. 1953 R. H. MENNING ETAL VENDING MACHINE HAVING TILTABLE BOTTLE CRADLE FOR MOVING BOTTLES TO VENDING POSITION 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed July 16, 1951 INVENTOR3.

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VENDING MACHINE HAVING TILTABLE BOTTLE CRADLE FOR MOVING BOTTLES TO VENDING POSITION Filed July 16, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 BY I/ ATTORN Patented Dec. 1, 1953 ITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VENDING MACHINE HAVING TILTABLE BOTTLE CRADLE FOR MOVING BOT- TLES TO VENDING POSITION poration of Missouri Application July 16, 1951, Serial No. 236,917

12 Claims. (01. 214-313) This invention relates to vending machines of the kind adapted upon insertion of a coin or other suitable medium, of delivering the contents of a bottle after elevating the same to a decapping position and thereupon tipping the bottle to pour the liquid thereof into a cup previously delivered automatically to a receiving station.

This invention has to do primarily with vending machines such as forms the subject matter of U. S. Letters Patent No. 1,902,612, in the name of C. W. Blossom et al., dated March 21, 1933, and has for its primary object to improve upon the cradle assemblies shown in the O. 0. Olsen Patent No. 2,333,118, of November 2, 1943, and in the G. H. Hansen, Jr., Patent No. 2,438,050, dated March 16, 1948.

It is the most important object of this invention to provide a simplified form of cradle assembly such as disclosed in the last mentioned patents and including snap-action clamping means movable to and from a position engaging a bottle carried by the cradle during and by virtue of reciprocation of the cradle.

Another important object of this invention is to provide a cradle assembly for elevating bottles in a vending machine past a decapping assembly to a pouring position and thereupon to a point of release of the bottle wherein all of the operating parts that include the bottle clamping or holding means operate automatically by virtue of the tipping movement of the cradle itself and Without auxiliary actuating means therefor.

A further object of this invention is to provide a. cradle assembly that includes a main support mounted for rectilinear reciprocation and having a cradle tiltably carried thereby for receiving a bottle, together with clamping means that is 50 associated with the cradle and with the support as to automatically move to a clamping position by the tipping action of the cradle within the support.

Other objects include many important details of construction all of which will be made clear or become apparent as the following specification progresses, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary, vertical, cross-sectional view through a vending machine made ac cording to the present invention showing a tiltable bottle cradle forming the subject matter hereof.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary, sectional view-similar to Fig. 1 showing the cradle in another position.

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of the cradle Fig. 3 is a fragmentary, front elevational view of the cradle assembly.

the supporting frame therefor.

Fig. 5 is an elevational view showing the opposite side of the cradle and illustrating the two positions of the clamping means; and

Fig. 6 is a rear elevational view of the cradle.

As above indicated, the complete operation of a vending machine with which the cradle assembly hereof is used, may be found in the patents to Olsen and to Hansen above mentioned.

In Figure 1 of the drawings there is illustrated .fragmentarily, a hollow cabinet broadly designated by the numeral [0, having a rear wall 12 and including a door I4 provided with an access opening 1 5. Opening I6 is normally closed by 'a small door 18 that may be of transparent material if desired, and mounted on the door M for vertical reciprocation in opposed tracks, one of which is shown in Fig. 1 and designated by the numeral 20.

A latch 22 normally hooked over stop member -24 on door I8 is actuated during each cycle of operation of the machine by a solenoid arm 26.

At the beginning of each cycle of operation and immediately following the insertion of a coin, a cup 28 is automatically delivered from a dispenser 3D to a deflector frame 32 and thence to a platform 34 within the access opening iii of door 14. Further details of operation of the structures thus far mentioned need not be set forth since the same form no part of the present invention.

There is additionally provided in the com- .plete machine and not herein illustrated, a storage compartment within the cabinet ID for a A conveyor system within the storage compartment automatically moves the bottles 36 from a lowermost shelf 40 (Fig. 3) to a hopper broadly designated by the numeral 42.

Hopper 42 is mounted within an opening formed in a vertical partition 44 and operates automatically to transfer a bottle 36 from the shelf 40 to a cradle 46 during each cycle of operation of the machine and is shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings in the position that the same assumes when dumping a bottle 36 into cradle 46. Cradle 46, adapted to. receive a bottle 36 in the manner illustrated by Fig. 1 of the drawings, includes a main body 48- having an open top,

semi-circular bottle-receiving portion 50 provided with a rear wall 52 against which the lower- ,mest end of bottle 36 rests directly when positioned in the cradle 48. An elongated arm 54 extending laterally from the semi-circular portion 50 has a small, arcuate, transverse finger 56 for receiving the bottle 36 intermediate the ends thereof. A pair of side walls 58 and 60 are provided with aligned openings 62 and 64 respectively directly below the rear wall 52, wall 60 projecting downwardly beyond the lowermost end of wall 58 and being provided with a roller 66 on its lowermost end.

A small polygonal block 68 is provided on the outermost face of the wall 52 and such block 68 in turn has an integral rearwardly extending car 70 thereon.

A clamping assembly broadly designated by the numeral I2, includes a pair of substantially identical L-shaped arms 14 and", each having a small plate I8 secured to one face thereof and offset in the manner illustrated in Fig. 6 of the drawings to present spacers for receiving a pair of resilient discs 80 having their innermost faces beveled to conform to the arcuate contour of bottle 36. Discs 80 are rotatably mounted on a shaft 82 that connects the arms I4 and I6 and their plates I8 at the uppermost ends of the latter. The lowermost ends of the arms I4 and I6 are pivotally secured in spaced-apart relationship to the block 68 through the medium of a stub shaft 84. An inwardly extending stop 85 on the arm I4 adjacent the shaft 84, limits the extent of swinging movement of the clamp 12 by striking block 68. A snap actuator 86 pivotally interconnecting the clamp 12 and the body 48 includes a pair of toggle links 88 and 90 pivotally interconnected by pin 92, it being noted that link 88 is bifurcated to receive the link 90. Link 90 is bifurcated to receive the outermost free end of ear I and a cross-pin 94 pivotally interconnects the link 90 intermediate the ends thereof with the ear I0. Link 90 is provided with a stop 96 on its innermost edge adjacent the link 88; with a finger 98 extending outwardly in opposed relationship to the pivot pin 94; and with an elongated extension I00 extending beyond the pivot pin 84 and at substantially right angles to the finger 98. Stop 96 bears against the block 68 when the clamp I2 is in the full-line position illustrated in Fig. 5.

Finger 98 has a fiat face I02 and an opposed arcuate edge I04. Extension I00 has a laterally extending pin I 06 adjacent its free end. Link 88 is provided with a transverse, longitudinally extending slot I08 (Fig. 1) for pivotally securing the same to a cross-shaft I I0 carried by the arms 14 and I6 and by the plates I8 adjacent the point of merger between the legs thereof.

A spring II2 coiled about the link 88 bears at one end thereof against the shaft H0 and at its opposite end against an out-turned flange I I4 on the link 88 intermediate its ends. A spring II6 interconnects the pin 94 and shaft H0.

The entire cradle assembly 46, including body 48, clamp 12 and actuator 86 is mounted within a polygonal frame I I8 for swinging movement on a substantially horizontal axis by means of bolts I20 received by openings 62 and 64. Frame H8 is vertically reciprocable within opposed, upstanding guide channels I 22 and supported by a chain I 24 having one end thereof joined with the frame I I 8 at the lowermost end thereof as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 and its opposite end connected with an elongated bar I26. Bar I26 shown only in part by Figs. 1 and 3, has pivotal connection with the frame H8 at the uppermost end of the latter by bolt I28. Chain I24 is trained over a 4 sprocket wheel (not shown) at the lowermost end of the cabinet I0 and over a second sprocket wheel near the uppermost end of the cabinet I 0 and has connection with operating structure forming no part of this invention for causing reciprocation of the frame H8 and the cradle assembly 46 carried thereby along a rectilinear path of travel as defined by the vertical guides I22.

An adjustable abutment I30 within the path of travel of the finger 98 is secured to the frame I I8. A vertical rod I32 near the lowermost end of the path of travel of the frame I I8 and cradle assembly 46 is within the path of travel of the pin I06 of extension I00. An elongated, vertical plate I 34 adjacent one of the guide channels I22 is provided with a serpentine groove I36 extending throughout its length for receiving the roller 66 of wall 60.

7 When the machine is in a stand-by condition with the cradle portions 50 and 56 empty, clamp I2 is in the closed position as shown by full lines in Fig. 5 of the drawings. Furthermore, the frame I I8 is spaced slightly above the lowermost end of its path of travel.

During each cycle of the operation of the machine, the first movement of the frame II8 as actuated by the chain I24 and bar I26, is downwardly where pin I06 comes into contact with rod I32 in the manner illustrated by Fig. 2 of the drawings. Such operation breaks the toggle linkage 86 opening the clamp 12 as illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawings. As the frame I I8 continues downwardly, it comes into contact with an actuating finger I38 for hopper 42 moving a bottle 36 carried by the hopper 42, to the cradle 46 where the bottle 36 comes to rest in the manner illustrated in Fig. 1.

It is seen that when rod I32 shifts the extension I00 toward the body 48, link 90 swings on pivot pin 94 thereby causing pivot pin 92 to move outwardly away from the body 48 and link 88 serves to withdraw the clamp I2 from the position shown by full lines in Fig. 5 to the position shown in Fig. 4. The extent of movement of the clamp 12 to the position shown in Fig. 4, is limited by stop striking the block 68.

Direction of travel of the frame I I 8 thereupon reverses, moving the cradle 46 and the bottle 38 upwardly to a point where cradle 46 commences to swing upwardly on bolts I 20 relative to the frame I I8 as determined by roller 66 following cam groove I 36. Such swinging movement of the cradle 46 moves finger 98 toward the abutment I30 until the arcuate edge I04 of finger 98 strikes abutment I30, causing the link to swing clockwise on pin 94, viewing Figs. 1, 2 and 4. As soon as the links 88 and 90 move past center, the spring I I6 operates to shift stop 96 against the block 68, thereby locking the clamp 72 against the bot tle 36.

It is seen that the resilient discs 80 tightly engage and partially embrace the bottle 36 directly above the bottle-receiving portion 50 and by virtue of the slot I08 and spring H2, a yieldable bias is placed on the bottle 36. If bottle 36 has a diameter that is slightly enlarged over a standard bottle, then shaft IIO may move in slot I 08 toward the flange II4 against the action of spring II 2. After the snap-action of toggle actuator 86 operates to close the clamp 12, movement of edge I04 of finger 98 away from abutment I30, has no effect upon the holding action of clamp I2. Bottle 36 assumes various positions as the same moves upwardly toward the uppermost end of the path of travel of frame I I8 and ace-1,107

5, as cap 38 comes into eng' gement with a remover broadly designated by the numeral I40, such cap 38 is automatically removed.

After removal or the cap '38, bottle 36 assumes 2i horizontal position as shown in Fig. 1 adjacent the deflector 32 and finally is tipped to a pouring position (not shown) where the beverage or other liquid content of the bottle 36 is poured into cup 28 previously deposited on the platform 34. The empty bottle 36 is thereupon carried upwardly to a point where the flat face I02 ofthe finger 98, strikes a stop or projection I42 carried by the inner face of wall I2, which again opens the clamp I2 releasing bottle 36. The empty bottle is thereupon forced into a compartment I44 and spring-loaded jaws I40 restrain all of the empty bottles I36 in compartment I44 from downward movement.

The clamp I2 remains open even after finger 98 moves out of engagement with the stop I42 because of the snap action of actuator 86. As soon as the link 90 swings to move the stop 96 away from block 68, links 88 and 90 will snap open by the action of spring H6 as soon as the same move past center. Since the roller 66 always rides in the cam groove I36, the cradle 46 will reverse its swinging positions relative to the frame II8 as the latter moves downwardly toward the stand-by condition above mentioned.

Consequently, finger 08 will again move into contact with the abutment I30 and the clamp 12 will assume the position shown by full lines in Fig. even though the cradle 46 is empty. On the next cycle, as soon as the cradle 46 moves downwardly from the stand-by condition and the pin I06 contacts rod I32, clamp I2 will be opened so that the cradle 46 may receive a bottle 36 from the hopper 42 as above outlined.

It is to be noted further that when the pin I06 comes into contact with the rod I 32 and when finger 98 engages the stop I42, the face I04 of the finger 98 is sufiiciently spaced from the abutment I30 to permit swinging movement of the link 90 from the position shown by full lines in Fig. 5 to the position shown by Fig. 4 of the drawings.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a vending machine, an article advancing assembly including a reciprocable, articlereceiving cradle; means for reciprocating said cradle; means for swinging the cradle as the same reciprocates; a shiftable article clamp mounted on the cradle for reciprocation there with; and means for shifting the clamp to and from a position engaging an article on the cradle in response to swinging movement of the latter during reciprocation.

2. In a vending machine, an article advancing assembly including a reciprocable, articlereceiving cradle; means for reciprocating said cradle; means for swinging the cradle as the same reciprocates; a shiftable article clamp mounted on the cradle for reciprocation therewith; and means including structure coupled with said clamp for shifting the clamp to and from a position engaging an article on the cradle in response to swinging movement of the latter during reciprocation, said clamp being mounted for swinging movement with the cradle and said article as a unit when the clamp is in engagement with the article.

3. In a vending machine, an article advancing assembly including a reciprocable support;

means for reciprocating the support; an articlereceiving cradle carried by the support for move-- ment relative thereto; structure having connec tion with said cradle for moving the latter relative to the support toward andaway from a predetermined position during reciprocation of the support and the cradle carried thereby; and shiftable articie clamping mechanism mounted on the cradle for holding an article thereon, said mechanism having parts engageable with the support as the cradle moves away from said position for shifting the mechanism against an article in the cradle.

4; In a vending machine, an article advancing assembly including a reciprocable support; means for reciprocating the support; an articlereceiving cradle carried by the support for movement relative thereto; structure having connection with said cradle for moving the latter toward and away from a predetermined position during reciprocation of the support and the cradle carried thereby; shiftable article-engaging means mounted on the cradle for holding an article on the cradle; and apparatus connected with said shiftable means for actuating the latter and having parts engageable with the support as the cradle moves away from said position for operating said apparatus to shift said means against an article on the cradle.

5. In a vending machine, an article elevating assembly including a vertically reciprocable support; means for reciprocating the support; an article-receiving cradle carried by said support for swinging movement relative thereto; means having connection with said cradle for swinging the latter during reciprocation of the support and the cradle carried thereby; a clamp mounted on the cradle and shiftable to and from a position engaging an article in the cradle; and actuating means joining the clamp and the cradle for shifting the clamp to said position as the cradle swings in one direction relative to the support.

6. In a vending machine ,as set forth in claim 5 wherein said actuating means is provided with parts movable into engagement with the support as the cradle swings in said one direction for operating the actuating means.

'7. In a vending machine as set forth in claim 5 wherein stop means is provided at each end respectively of said support and engageable with said actuating means for operating the latter to shift the clamp away from said position.

8. In a vending machine as set forth in claim 5 wherein said actuating means includes a springloaded, snap-action, toggle joint.

9. In a vending machine as set forth in claim 5 wherein said actuating means includes a springloaded, snap-action, toggle joint having an extension thereon movable into engagement with the support as the cradle swings in said one direction for breaking the toggle joint.

10. In a vending machine as set forth in claim 5 wherein said support is provided with an adjustable stop and said actuating means includes a spring-loaded, snap-action, toggle joint having an extension thereon movable into engagement with said stop as the cradle swings in said one direction for breaking the toggle joint.

11. In a vending machine as set forth in claim 5 wherein said actuating means includes a springloaded, snap-action, toggle joint having an extension thereon movable into engagement with the support as the cradle swings in said one direction for breaking the toggle joint, there being a stop at one end of the path of travel of the support within the path of travel of said extension for operating the toggle joint to shift the clamp away from said position upon swinging of the cradle in the opposite direction to move the extension out of engagement with the support.

12. In a vending machine as set forth in claim 5 wherein said actuating means includes a springloaded, snap-action, toggle joint having a first and a second extension thereon, there being a stop at each end respectively of said support, said first extension being movable into engagement with the support as the cradle swings in said one direction for breaking the toggle joint, one of said stops being within the path of travel of said first extension and the other'stop being within the path of travel of said second extension for operating the toggle joint to shift the clamp away from said position upon swinging of the cradle in the opposite direction to move the first extension out of engagement with the support.

RALPH H. MENNING.

ROBERT T. MANLEY.

Name Date Hansen, Jr Mar. 16, 1948 Number 

